Craig McLachlan accuser reveals ‘rape threats’ on social media

ONE of the actresses who came forward with sexual harassment claims about Craig McLachlan says she’s received shocking threats online since coming forward.

ONE of the actors who accused Craig McLachlan of sexual assault has revealed she has received rape threats after going public with her claims.

Christie Whelan Browne was one of three women who came forward with claims of inappropriate touching and kissing by the Gold Logie winner during a Melbourne stage show.

And though she’s previously said she felt relieved after coming forward, it hasn’t all been easy for the 35-year-old since.

“The people who have tweeted to me to say they hope I get raped, hope I never work again and that they wish to spit on my face are incredibly hard to ignore,” she tweeted on Wednesday.

While clearly affected by the threats, she thanked supporters, saying: “The amount of love is drowning them out ... rising above is hard, but I’m trying.”

Whelan Browne starred alongside McLachlan in a 2014 production of The Rocky Horror Show, and claims the actor touched and kissed her inappropriately during a sexually-charged scene performed in front of an audience of 2000.

Christie Whelan Brown said she was trying to ‘rise above’ the backlash. Picture: 7.30/ABC

The people who have tweeted me to say they hope I get raped, hope I never work again &that they wish to spit in my face are incredibly hard to ignore. But the amount of love is drowning them out. So I thank you. Rising above is hard, but I’m trying.

— Christie Whelan (@Christie_Whelan) January 10, 2018

“He was directed to kiss down my neck, down my arm and go down out of sight but he would always kiss down my breasts and continue to kiss all the way down until I would have to sort of move and wriggle away,” she told ABC’s 7.30.

“One night ... he traced the outline of my vagina with his finger and I slapped his hand away.”

Craig McLachlan has vehemently denied all claims against him, and the production company, The Gordon Frost Organisation, has denied knowledge of the accusations.

Meanwhile, journalist Tracey Spicer who was a leader in the Fairfax/ABC investigation, revealed death threats have also followed the bombshell allegations.

“Feel free to express an opinion about our #metoo #timesup investigation, but be aware that death threats on social media can carry a strong penalty. And we are not afraid to take action,” she tweeted.

Spicer said the threats had been aimed at some of her colleagues and explained she wanted to “put out a warning that these kinds of tweets will be reported to police”.

“About time more people took action against social media harassment,” she added.

Craig McLachlan has denied all accusations. Picture: Julie Kiriacoudis

New accusers have joined the three actors in airing accusations against McLachlan since the investigation was published on Monday.

Most recently, a runner on a TV drama, aged 22 at the time, has told the ABC that a trip from Melbourne airport with the star in 2008 had been “a really uncomfortable experience”.

The woman claimed McLachlan had pointed the car’s airconditioning vents towards her saying “I was hoping to see your nipples go hard. Can you see my nipples getting hard?”

The ABC has today reported a tanning salon worker claimed McLachlan kissed her in a “bizarre situation”.

“He continued to be extremely flirtatious and chatty, a lot of intense eye contact,” the woman said, according to ABC.

“Then out of nowhere he said to me, ‘I am very sorry but I just have to do this’.

“He walked around the reception desk to where I was sitting, he grabbed my face in both hands and passionately kissed me, tongue included.”

McLachlan has not responded to the new allegations, but said initial claims by his Rocky Horror Show co-stars were “ALL made up”.